Hidden Blade
by color thyme
Summary: My explanation of the time when Lucy was an employee of Abstergo. Spoiler alerts if you weren't paying attention in AC1, I guess. XD  From the start of her employment to when she escapes with Desmond.
1. Introducing Subject 15

Imagine a year of your life spent erasing yourself from existence. Cutting ties, with no answer to the question "when will I see you again?" But Lucy had volunteered for this. The Assassins had needed someone to infiltrate Abstergo, but most of them were spread so thin that no one could find the time to commit to a long-term project. When Lucy, just back from an assignment in Africa, heard that the position was still open, she applied immediately. Without a break between posts Lucy found herself dropped off in front of the looming Abstergo building only three days after arriving back in Europe.

Lucy's immediate attention to the unpopular job was due to her close friend, Leila Marino. Leila had worked at Abstergo only five years past, and passed away while employed there. Nothing was released to the public about the cause of her death, and Lucy took this as an opportunity to investigate the mystery. Leila had been the assistant to a man named Doctor Warren Vidic, the same man Lucy was waiting to meet.

* * *

><p>The first thing Lucy noticed about Dr. Vidic was his tendency to ramble on. Not ten minutes into the interview he was pacing around the table, using extravagant hand movements and speaking passionately about his work. Lucy interrupted him with questions periodically, to which she received enthusiastic answers, until she asked about Leila. At the mention of her name, Vidic sucked his cheeks in and frowned. His expression shifted to one of cheerful reminiscence in a moment, and he exclaimed fondly; "Leila! Leila, Leila, Leila… Couldn't have asked for a better helper. Very good with the Subjects." He ended the interview there, and offered to give Lucy a tour of the floor she would be working on.<p>

"Since you'll be mostly running odd jobs for me, you're going to want to learn to use all of our equipment. There should be someone in every department willing to help you, but if they won't, just tell me. I'll make sure they receive proper punishment." Warren chuckled darkly. Lucy couldn't tell if he was being serious.

A woman's voice came over the intercom.

"Doctor Vidic, Mister Rikkin requests your presence in his office."

Vidic cursed under his breath. "That man has terrible timing. Please excuse me, Miss Stillman. I trust you can find your way back to my lab? If I'm not back before your lunch break, feel free to take the rest of the day off."

This amazing stroke of luck gave Lucy two and a half hours, at least, alone in the office of a Templar. It was hard to keep from grinning. "Yes, sir. I'll find my way back."

"That's a good girl." Warren disappeared into the maze of hallways. Lucy let the smile take over her face and turned to walk back to Vidic's lab.

"Hey, miss!" A young man waved at her from a cubical down the hallway. "Can I have a minute?" Lucy's expression must have turned sour, because the man stopped waving and seemed to shrink slightly. Then, laughing he said, "No wonder the Doctor likes you so much! Full of spirit! But really, miss, only a second of your time." Lucy approached him, and he invited her into his cubical. Then, sitting down on a rolling chair, he tipped back to get a better look at her. "Mm, I see. Warren really knows how to pick 'em, doesn't he?" Lucy glared down at him. The Templar chuckled uneasily. "No offense! Here, I'm Richard." He held out his hand in greeting. Lucy shook it. "Lucy Stillman."

"New apprentice to the big man, eh? Well, second in charge, I guess. Of the Project. 'Course he does all the hands on stuff, Rikkin just shouts orders." There was something of a disapproving buzz from his monitor.

"Oh, jeez! Gotta watch what you say here. There's mic's and cam's everywhere. Sorry, Rikk! You're awesome!" Richard turned slightly red with embarrassment.

It was as much as Lucy expected. "They've got this entire building covered?"

"The lower lackeys like me don't have a choice, but the project managers with the big, fancy offices can choose not to consent to the mic's. Like," his voice lowered, and he leaned closer to Lucy. "I don't think your boss has any, and he's notorious for disconnecting the cameras." He leaned back in his chair again. "So yeah! Abstergo's a great place to work!" He said, unnecessarily loud. Then, back to normal volume, " Hey, I've got a great idea. How 'bout I treat you to lunch?"

"Oh no, that's not necessary…"

"C'mon! First day on the job, and I promise you your Doc won't be back today. He and Rikkin could argue forever. Let me show you a little company hospitality."

Lucy had no choice but to comply. "My break is at twelve -thirty."

"I'll be out front! Enjoy your day, miss Lucy."

* * *

><p>Lucy thought it was awfully risky of Richard to treat the high security with such disregard. He seemed a little too aloof to be working at a place like Abstergo. At the same time, she couldn't help but like him.<p>

* * *

><p>Everything in Vidic's room was locked. Each individual drawer required a key, and any cabinets were securely padlocked. Lucy supposed that if it came to it she could try her hand at lockpicking, but her skills were far from refined, as most important information wasn't contained computers, not desks.<p>

* * *

><p>Lucy had never actually seen an Animus before. She had done research on them, strange machines that only Templars had. The Assassins had tried to duplicate it, but had been so far unsuccessful. The one standing proudly in the middle of the room was impressive. She had no doubt it ran perfectly, and tinges of jealousy poked fun at her, reminding her of how much more of an advantage the Templars had over them. She ran her fingers over its' smooth surface. It hummed slightly when she touched it, like it opened up to the feel of flesh. Its' capabilities were marvelous, but why was exploring memories so important? The Templars had hidden this secret well, and now it was her job to uncover it.<p>

Vidic had mentioned Subjects - presumably people they were using the Animus on - was there one here now? Lucy opened the last unopened door in the room. It led to a bedroom with an adjoining restroom, but it was empty. She checked the dresser, but it was bare. No personal belongings sat on top, and the bed looked unused. The bathroom was clean and fully stocked. No Subject here now, but would she eventually have to experiment on one? Lucy paled at the thought. By the looks of these living quarters they were comfortable enough, but how dangerous was it to be in the Animus?

* * *

><p>During her lunch with Richard Lucy learned the daily schedules of almost everyone on their floor. The young man's vast knowledge of almost everything that went on there was due to his quote; "boredness with the mundane tasks he did all day". He told Lucy that his actual work was on the field - but ever since Vidic was given an Animus, his knack for computer code had him stuck behind a desk, helping speed up the time that it took the Subjects to access locked memories. When Lucy asked him what exactly they were using the Animus for, Richard laughed and said, "You should let Vidic tell you, it's really his thing. He'd probably get upset if I spoiled the surprise for you."<p>

* * *

><p>Throughout the week Lucy gathered little more information about the Animus. She was constantly running around the cubicles, gathering and delivering messages too important to e-mail. She caught sight of Rikkin twice, but was never able to approach him.<p>

Doctor Vidic seemed to still need adjusting to her presence, and often jumped when she called his name to report back. He would scold her for moving so quietly, and told her to make more noise when she walked, or else he'd have a stroke for sure. And so Lucy adjusted to life at Abstergo, as she was slowly integrated into their society.

* * *

><p>A month into her employment, Lucy was introduced to Subject Fifteen. She was escorted into the building on a Sunday afternoon, walking timidly behind an armed guard. There were bruises on her thin arms, suggesting that force was used to get her here. Her stomach protruded ever so slightly from her slender form.<p>

Doctor Vidic stood behind the young woman, his arms on her shoulders. She was quivering where she stood, her eyes pinned to her shoes.

"Lucy, meet Alison Rossi. Alison, this is your new best friend, Lucy." Warren spoke to the woman like she was a child, but even her small build couldn't hide the fact that she was quite mature.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rossi." Alison only shifted slightly, and didn't respond.

"Take her into her new room, Lucy, there are some of her possessions there. We'll begin the Animus sessions tomorrow."

Lucy escorted Alison to the elevator. She was walking painfully slowly, and Lucy had to keep a firm grasp on her arm because the poor dear kept stumbling. When they were finally in the elevator the young woman slid onto the floor and hugged her knees to her chest. She was solemn and inconsolable, and when they reached the bedroom in Vidic's office she sat down on the bed and faced away from Lucy.

Lucy sat beside her. "Hey, everything's going to be fine." She knew Alison had good reason to be frightened - Richard had told her she had been kidnapped. It sickened her that the Templars felt tearing people from their homes was justified.

Lucy still hadn't figured out exactly why they needed to explore the memories of certain, selected Subjects. Alison was Subject Fifteen, which meant that fourteen others had been kidnapped over the course of the last few years, but none of these disappearances had been documented. There were no files on the last fourteen Subjects, and Lucy hadn't been given the access codes to the computer, so she was unable to gather any more information. She wanted to make Alison's stay as nice as she could, as long as that might be.

Alison made no effort to respond to, or look at, Lucy.

* * *

><p>Despite her efforts to be as helpful and kind as possible, Lucy had failed in all of her attempts to communicate with Subject Fifteen. The woman seemed fine speaking to Doctor Vidic. She would answer all of his questions patiently, and he would do the same for her. It was easy for Lucy to take the hint that Alison had some unexplained dislike for her.<p>

* * *

><p>As much as she would hate to admit it, Lucy couldn't wait to observe Alison's first Animus session. She absorbed every word Vidic said in explanation about it to her before Fifteen was allowed out of her room, and was told that she would be further instructed by Richard in how to actually use the machine. Much to her delight, Vidic had planned to give her almost full control of Alison's sessions as soon as Lucy finished her training.<p>

It was hard not to rush Alison straight to the machine when Lucy unlocked her door. When Warren saw this he laughed, sharing with Lucy that she was acting much like he did when he was given this job, and that he was glad to have such an enthusiastic assistant.

Lucy's excitement was quickly cut down, however, when Richard returned back to the office early, and she was pulled out of the room for briefing on the Animus, thus unable to see Alison's first session.

And so Lucy's work became much more hectic. Warren truly had given her full control over Fifteen. She was instructed to fill out an agenda to plan the woman's life… up to the minute. Meal times, exercise schedule, personal time, Lucy was in charge of it all. Of course, she asked Alison what she would prefer.

"I want to leave."

But Lucy persisted - she was later abhorred by the fact that, honestly, she didn't want the woman to leave, she wanted to continue the sessions - and managed to squeeze answers out of her. And so Alison's life was now dictated by a book, and jealously guarded by Lucy. And Lucy stuck to it. For a little over seven months she spent her days dominating the life of another. It didn't take long for her to master the Animus, and to gain enough of Vidic's trust to be left alone to observe Alison's time in the Animus solo. But still, she would not be told the reason for Fifteen. And Fifteen herself was still extremely hard to talk to. Lucy was able to piece together several haphazard clues, but they would never point her in a sensible direction. She knew her pestering's about Leila didn't help her cause, and at times she felt that upper management might have been growing suspicious - but that didn't keep her from trying.

* * *

><p>"Warren, there's something you should know before you leave -"<p>

It was Friday, Doctor Vidic was leaving for the weekend, leaving Lucy in charge of the lab until he got back.

"If it's important, send me an e-mail, I'm going home." Warren was disgruntled. Their search for the Apple in Alison's memories was at a standstill. Not that the clues had be flowing anyway - it was apparent that they had chosen the wrong Fifteen. He cursed Rikkin daily, and argued with him even more often. Lucy was really the only person he could depend on. Even though their search was completely dry, she persisted, and had even enhanced the performance of the Animus far past what any of the other workers had. But the worst part about it all was that Alison was dangerously close to the nine-month mark of her pregnancy, and was frequently too unwell to use the Animus for long periods of time. He tried to reason with her - in the early days she had been quick to follow his advice, but now it seemed she would only speak to Lucy. Lucy had been at first overwhelmed by the sudden, large amount of attention she was receiving from Fifteen, but it was mutually understood by both Abstergo employee's that a woman near childbirth preferred the consolation of a woman over a man.

Nonetheless, Lucy was basking in the delight of finally having another female to talk to.

Lucy nodded and Warren left the room, the metal doors slid shut behind him and the lights in the room dimmed. Lucy's heals clicked on the hard floor as she shut down computers and locked cabinets.

Something about Vidic still bothered her, though. He had taken to using the phrase "end up like Leila", which Lucy could only assume was some sort of threat. He only said it during moments of severe mental stress, but these times had rapidly increased as Rikkin pushed him to extract something worthwhile from Alison. Lucy was tempted to ask him about it, but instinct told her that now was not the right time.

Lucy found herself running her fingers over the smooth exterior of the Animus. She had become almost infatuated with the machine. Watching Alison relive the memories of her ancestors, and knowing that she was a part of this momentous leap in genetic sciences, gave her a sort of feeling of superiority over others. A feeling she tried to suppress, but it was evident in the way that she held herself when she walked, and even the way she had started to treat Richard. Before, she had been the apprentice, and he the one who was given the task to introduce her into this new world. Now, she felt they were equals, if even she was not above him. Vidic had taken a sidelines approach to her education of Abstergo. Lucy was unsure if he had more to teach her, and so she continued to hold him in respect, and treated him like he was her better. And Vidic would always remind her of how much she still needed to learn, which seemed to cast a curious mist over the Animus and its' capabilities. How much more could they do with it?

Lucy tore herself away from the machine when she remembered she had something of dire importance to tell Doctor Vidic. She typed the e-mail as fast as she could, hoping that Vidic would be home soon and check it. Alison was becoming dangerously unstable - something that hadn't happened to the last Fourteen Subjects. There were moments when her eyes would glaze over, she would become panic-stricken and fling herself across the room, sobbing and crying out for help. This baffled Lucy. As well did the fact that, as the baby matured, the Animus was having a difficult time staying focused on the memories' of the mother, and would unexpectedly try to switch to a memory of the fathers'. Whenever this would happen, Alison confided with her, she would experience piercing migraines, and would dream of committing suicide. She would have terrible fits sometimes, and beg for Lucy to just kill her.

"There's blood. Everywhere. All the time."

And so Lucy called this The Bleeding Effect, and took detailed notes of Alison's spiral into insanity.


	2. Fears

It was soon too dangerous to keep Alison. She had become like a wild creature - a lethal threat to herself and others. Another unseen side effect of the Bleed Effect was that the woman had grown quite effective at moving unseen. This almost resulted in tragedy when she got ahold of a needle full of a powerful tranquilizer and violently stabbed Alan Rikkin's secretary, Aubrey Jacob, in the neck. Aubrey survived, but grew an immense distrust and hatred of Lucy, blaming her for the incident.

Three weeks before she was due, Alison Rossi disappeared. No one spoke about it.

* * *

><p>Lucy used the free time in-between Subjects to dig further in Abstergo's main computers. She had almost used up her list of excuses for staying in the lab long after Warren left. The waiting period, as Richard called it, would probably be a while. The complete failure of Fifteen meant that Rikkin and Vidic had to find out a better way to choose Subjects with ancestors closer to the Apple. Lucy chanced a question.<p>

"Is the Apple the only Piece of Eden?"

"As far as I know, yeah. But you'd have to ask Alan about that, he's been saying something about making a map. I know that makes it seem like there's a lot more than one, but can the Earth really hold that much power? Imagine it! If we could find each of them! All of us who have worked here loyally - you and me - could be Gods!" It was clear that this was a fantasy of Richard's. "Imagine if one was a sword, not just some apple. How impressive would I look with a glowing sword?"

Lucy laughed. "All right, your lordship, if we ever come across a shiny sword, I'll see if I can't get it for you."

Richard grinned. "I'm counting on you!"

* * *

><p>Information about the newly discovered Pieces of Eden began to flow out of Richard. Every time Lucy passed him in a hall he would stop her and excitedly tell her everything he had learned about another Piece. Richard had become something of a right-hand man to Rikkin, only a step down from Miss Jacobs. Any news he got from him was almost immediately passed onto Lucy, which she then passed on to Vidic. This new system wasn't only helping Lucy send e-mails full of useful information to the Assassins, but it kept the tension level on the floor significantly lower, since it was no longer needed for Vidic and Rikkin to speak to each other. Warren was noticeably less on edge, though the search for the next Subject still took a toll on him. Lucy pitched in all she could, and in return learned much about the selection process.<p>

That's when she learned they were targeting Assassins.

"The Assassins aren't a large organization, not anymore, but we need one. Since each member has an Assassin ancestor every generation for _hundreds_ of generations, all it will take is one, and we'll have the map."

Lucy didn't answer right away. She was trying to process this. Names of Assassins ran through her head, and she tried to sort the ones who were currently assigned in Europe. There was probably less than a handful in Italy right now, because it was completely overrun with Templars like Vidic, and organizations like Abstergo, and it was a dangerous place to be, but Europe was home to one of the largest Assassin hideouts.

"Have you found any?" Her tone was one who was itching for progress, but really she craved for only one word.

"No." Warren sighed. "The Assassins are very careful. But all we have to do is wait. One is bound to slip up. Just the smallest thing. A blurry security camera picture, half a fingerprint, and we have 'em. "

"Have you ever used Assassins before?" Lucy bit her lip. If they had, she'd finally have some answers for anxious families.

"Nope. Like I said, they don't mess up often. But I've got a good feeling about this year. I think we might just get one - if not two!"

Lucy hoped to God that this was just the ramblings of an eccentric old man.

* * *

><p>One dreary Saturday afternoon Lucy had been put to work on the first floor of the building. This floor was packed end-to-end with tiny offices. Unlike her floor, which was home to at least four major research labs, this area looked like it was designed simply for busywork. The odd part was that most of the cubicles were empty and gutted. All of the walls that could fold down were being carried away by a team of workers, and electricians were grouped in small crowds around roped-off squares. In another place, some of the concrete floor was being removed and sculpted into shallow rectangles. Lucy tapped on the shoulder of a nearby construction worker.<p>

"Excuse me, what kind of renovation is this?" She didn't pass by this part of the first floor on her way to the elevator, but she hadn't heard any evidence of such work when she had come in that morning.

"Takin' down walls, puttin' in some weird machines, puttin' up some more walls." He looked busy, so Lucy didn't pester him for a more detailed explanation. She wandered around for a bit, observing what was going on. She tried to look like she knew what she was doing, since she hadn't been given any clear instructions on whom she was to talk to, or what she was supposed to do.

"Hey, lady!"

Lucy turned to see who was addressing her. At least, she assumed she was being addressed, because she hadn't seen any other women walking around. A man wearing a different uniform from the others was approaching her, skillfully ducking under precariously-held boxes and beams.

"You have a reason to be down here? It's a dangerous part of the building to take a stroll in."

"Oh, yes! I was looking for you, actually." Lucy feigned. "Are you the project manager?"

The man beamed and nodded. "You must be Miss Stillman! Trenton, Trenton Felix."

Lucy spent the rest of the day with Trenton. But while she thought she had been sent on some sort of tedious errand, she really only sat back and watched the installation of new Animuses. At the time it didn't really concern her. Trent kept her occupied with friendly conversation, so her mind never wandered to why Abstergo needed a dozen more time machines. She didn't think to ask until she returned to her office on the fourth floor, but the answer was waiting when she got there.

Vidic and Rikkin stood together. They seemed to have been talking excitedly before Lucy entered the room. Warren welcomed her with open arms, and even pulled her into a brief hug. He walked to the Animus with Rikkin close behind him, and placed his hands on it.

"We did it. We got one. Don't bother asking how, it's not important. But we got him."

"A genuine assassin. And here I thought we'd killed all of them. I'm surprised to say I'm glad I was wrong." Alan laughed, and Warren joined him. Lucy grinned by the door, but a pain struck at her heart.

It was all for science, right? The same thing wouldn't happen to Sixteen. She had diagnosed Fifteen too late, but she would catch the Bleeding Effect early this time. She knew the symptoms. Sixteen would live, they would find the Apple, the map, and God knows what else, and she would report everything back to the assassins. A solid game plan.

"When will I meet him?"

* * *

><p><strong>And cliffhanger. (: <strong>

Thanks for reading these first two chapters! I hope you'll enjoy what comes. Updates may take a while, I'm sorry about that.  
>I know you're all dying to meet Subject 16. ~<br>I'm sorry for my TERRIBLE character names. I pulled Subject 15's name out of a hat labeled "the worst names you could ever pick for someone". Richard and all other Abstergo employees are actual characters of Assassins Creed, except for that Felix guy (I made him up) and the nameless worker bees.

If you're confused about the slight changes to Abstergo's layout just leave it in your review or message me and I'll be sure to explain. :3

Please review!


	3. Insomnia

"Michael, stop that." Doctor Warren Vidic snapped, snatching up a pen that his patient had been using to etch something into the side of his wardrobe. The white paint on the dresser had obviously just been reapplied over similar markings, the outlines of words were still visible. When his subject refused to move from his crouching position Vidic grabbed him by the arm and pulled until he was standing.

"Hey, ow!" Michael whined as the Doctor examined the damage he had done to the furniture.

"Fifteen other subjects and we've never had to replace anything." He grumbled, tossing the confiscated pen onto the bed with a sigh. After a moment of looking forlornly at the tattooed dresser Vidic turned to Michael with a more professional demeanor, and the subject knew another day in the Animus was on its way.

"Lucy requests that I ask you how you've been feeling."

"Isn't she here today?"

"Miss Stillman is running late."

"Oh. I'm feeling fine."

"Perfect."

* * *

><p>"Welcome back, Michael." A comforting voice greeted the subject as the Animus powered down.<p>

"What day is it?" He mumbled his question while his eyes adjusted to the bright lights overhead.

"Wednesday."

Michael thought for a moment. He had been in the Animus for two days - a nice surprise, considering he was usually in much longer.

"There's something for you to eat right here." Lucy held up a plate of the standard lunch given to Abstergo employees. As Subject 16 approached the woman he noticed she was visibly perturbed.

"Is everything alright, Lucy?" He asked with genuine concern. Michael really was a friendly man, if you could get past his eccentricities.

"Of course!" Lucy lied, plastering a grin to her face. Michael returned her smile as he picked up his meal and returned to his room.

Lucy sat at her desk the rest of the night anxiously chewing on the butt of her pen.

"A cooperative man. If he'd stop scribbling on everything I'd be able to call him the best subject we've had so far." Warren placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder, evidently unaware of how agitated she was. "You should go home now, get some rest. And don't be late again!"

* * *

><p>Lucy was a wreck the entire ride home. Stopsigns and red lights beware, because she was barely paying any attention to what was in front of her, with her eyes constantly checking her peripheral and rear-view mirrors.<p>

For the past several days, Lucy Stillman had been followed. It wasn't being followed that worried her exactly, even if it would have been natural to be startled by this, it was the skill that her stalkers showed. Anything your basic creep could do she easily had the skill to deal with, but this constant feeling of being watched by only shadows? It made her skin crawl and had given her insomnia. She expected her stalker, or was it stalkers?, would strike at night, and as you can imagine it's hard to sleep with the threat of some unknown ever-present danger looming over you.

If they came for her Lucy knew she would have to fight back, but if Vidic or Mr. Rikkin were to be informed that she managed to kill perhaps multiple assailants? She would be found out for sure. And if she were to be overcome and killed herself, well, that wouldn't be much good either. This put the assassin at an impasse. She did have the option of trying harder to track down the ones responsible for all of her trouble, but her work and exhaustion put her in no state to confront anyone. The only people she could see being the stalkers were fellow Abstergo employees, and questioning anyone would just raise unwanted suspicions. Telling Doctor Vidic seemed like a sensible thing to do, but she needed his trust most of all.

Lucy didn't get much sleep that night, but dutifully showed up in Vidic's office bright and early the next morning.

* * *

><p>"If anything's bothering you, you can always tell me. We're buds, yeah?" Lucy was having lunch with Richard, and the conversation had managed to turn into the assassin confiding in the Templar about her recent anxiety. Richard himself didn't look fully rested either, and almost seemed uncomfortable sitting across from Lucy, but offered his advice nevertheless.<p>

"I mean, if something happened between you and Vidic, well he doesn't seem really stressed or anything but if he's taking out some anger on you I can always get after him about it, or I guess maybe you're having some hard time with 16? I mean Michael, well, I really haven't talked to him much so I wouldn't know if he were a trouble maker or not," Richard rambled, "but hey if you're having any problems with him I could rough him up a bit. You know, intimidation?" Lucy laughed as Richard continued to rattle off different ways a person could get stressed.

"No no, nothing at work has been bothering me, it's more of a personal thing. I'm sorry, I shouldn't bother you with stuff like that, you can just forget about it."

"You sure?" Richard seemed a little jumpy today, or maybe that was just Lucy's paranoia getting to her.

"Yeah. Hey, are you feeling okay?" Richard appeared slightly startled that she had noticed.

"Uh, yeah. Yes. I think I might be getting a cold or something, but I don't think I'll actually get sick for a couple more days. Probably two or something."

Lucy frowned. "That's, ah... well, alright? I hope you're feeling better before then."

Richard frowned, then smiled, then got up to leave the table. "Two days is when it'll get really bad, I have a feeling. My cold, that is," he stammered. The Templar got up to leave. "Get some rest, Miss Lucy!"

* * *

><p>That afternoon Lucy supervised Michael's time in the Animus while Dr. Vidic attended a meeting.<p>

Subject 16 really was a prodigy. Not just in his genius, but also in how he was progressing in the memories of his ancestors.

Vidic and Lucy had different views on 'progress', the doctor being more intent on reaching the goal while Lucy simply dazzled at the ease in which Michael slipped into his role and tried his hardest. Subject 15 had never really enjoyed being an assassin and would travel throughout history terribly slowly, sometimes 'accidentally' skipping past key times and places. But 16 seemed just as interested in the culture of a particular time period as he was learning and advancing in the lives of the past assassins. He was uncovering things on his own that no one would ask him to, learning the secrets and myths of everywhere he ended up in. To remember these hidden historical treasures Michael would scrawl them into anything and everything, which is exactly what Vidic had scolded him for the other day. His wardrobe was not the only thing the subject had covered in ancient facts, his arms were soaked in ink so often that Lucy had to ban him from every writing utensil in the lab.

This only made Michael more… inventive.

As for the Bleeding Effect Lucy was keeping close tabs on the new subject. She had cameras installed in his bedroom and adjoining bathroom, something that hadn't been used with the rooms' previous inhabitants. Vidic did believe in giving the subjects some privacy, but now that they risked another failure - especially with Michael being in the Animus for as long as physically possible - he was more than willing to install new cameras and locks on every door and wall.

All in all, 16 showed no signs of developing the Bleeding Effect, and the Animus sessions were running smoothly.

* * *

><p>Perhaps if Lucy weren't so focused on pushing Michael through the memories, maybe if she had stopped to read what he had been clawing into his nightstand, she might had noticed it wasn't just culture he'd been trying to remember.<p>

* * *

><p>Sorry that this chapter is a bit short. <strong>Please review!<strong> I love to know what people think of my stories and will always take constructive criticism. :3


	4. Hero

Genius is defined as 'an exceptional natural capacity of intellect.'

Genius can also be defined as Subject 16. Able to pull out memories of whatever, whenever, this is why some men and women are referred to as 'geniuses'. They were born the master of their own mind; everything they ever encounter is filed away for future use. When they focus a vast amount of knowledge is presented before them. They aren't superhuman, just gifted.

Subject 16, and others like him, were usually so occupied with sorting out these thoughts that many things passed them by. Things they would not remember unless they realized they knew them. It may have happened to you in your own life, suddenly realizing that you've heard information about a topic and are able to recall it.

So although Michael was discovering wonderful things while in the Animus, there was just so much to take in that a good amount of it was stored away without being introduced. This was likely one of the things that protected him a good deal from the Bleeding Effect. He simply didn't know he had any of the symptoms, so they were unable to progress. He was now two months into his stay at Abstergo, and everyone had expected something to happen. Nothing had, which was fantastic for company moral!

* * *

><p>When Lucy returned from lunch with a full stomach she felt a dozen times better. Still sleepy, but better. Michael was secure in the Animus and Vidic was minding his own business. No one could have asked for a better work environment.<p>

The assassin settled comfortably into her chair, ignoring the message on her computer screen telling her that she had new e-mail. Now wasn't the time to concern herself with anything stressful. Lucy allowed herself to simply relax.

* * *

><p>Darkness and the scent of musty cloth. Rough gravel scratched at the hostages' knees, but getting comfortable was impossible. Something kept a firm grip on their shoulders, forcing them to hunch forwards. It hurt to think, and the ringing in their ears was all they could hear. The hooded victim couldn't see any of the men in the alley, but they were there.<p>

One of the captors took a step forward and was illuminated by the dim light of the moon. He was tall and slim, his angular face obscured by shadows. The other two men were of a heavier build as their dark outlines showed. The triggerman man readied a pistol and signaled to his affiliate. On a silent count, the gun was aimed and the bag was removed from the hostages' head.

The victim had been silent until now, and made a pitiful, startled yip as she realized what was happening.

* * *

><p>Richard wasn't at work the following day, Lucy assumed he'd caught his cold like expected. She called him later that afternoon but couldn't reach him.<p>

"_Hope you're feeling better soon!" _was the message she had left on his phone.

* * *

><p>Paranoia, that's all it had been. Stress and work had gotten to her head, Lucy assured herself. She stepped out of her car in front of her apartment building, determined to fall asleep early and put these past two weeks behind her.<p>

"S'cuse me," said gruff voice.

"Yeah?" Lucy turned to acknowledge the speaker.

A rough hand grabbed her by the hair, and a second securely covered her mouth, smothering a cry for help. What Lucy could see of her captor made him out to be a frighteningly large man, but most of him was hidden by a large coat that partially covered her eyes. The assassin was being cruelly dragged down the parking lot, and as much as she kicked and trashed she was unable to break free from the thug's grip.

Everything was a blur, the road was at least a foot below her, and the man's hand smelled like cigar smoke.

Lucy was thrown roughly into the back of a vehicle and quickly pinned down by someone inside. A bag was thrown over her head as she struggled and tied so tightly onto her throat that Lucy began to gasp for air. She felt a rope bind her wrists and ankles. The truck began to move and the assassin received a blow to the back of her head. She collapsed unconscious onto the floor.

* * *

><p>When Lucy awoke she was being thrown onto hard pavement. The ringing in her ears echoed all around in the total silence. Lucy hadn't realized it was so dark until the sack over her face was yanked off, pulling her head backwards with it, so that the first thing she saw was the stars. The assassin watched the night sky come into focus, unable to look elsewhere because of the hand gripping her hair.<p>

"A pretty one." The man's voice was familiar to Lucy and she recognized him as the one who grabbed her. He released her hair and ran his fingers through it, the touch was disgusting.

"Shame we can't have a bit more fun with 'er before she kicks the bucket, yeah?" Said an unfamiliar voice. "Think we could keep 'er a bit longer, boss?"

There was a hard striking noise. The third man hissed in pain.

"Shit! What was that for, fucker?"

"Shut up." The leader growled. The two men went silent. The man behind Lucy yanked on her hair so that she was forced to face the man pointing a gun at her.

"Well then, what are you waiting for?" He barked as the pain of having her hair pulled so taught made Lucy's eyes begin to water.

The assailant readied his weapon. Lucy waited for it to end.

A gunshot pierced the silence, followed by a second. Lucy opened her eyes and saw her captors scatter. The pistol fell to the floor with a clang. Its owner looked back as he fled.

"Richard?" The assassin choked. Tears that had been waiting to be shed ran down her cheeks, followed by soft sobs. A pair of silhouetted hands untied the ropes on her ankles and helped her to stand. As the bonds on her wrists fell off Lucy saw the face of her savior. She tried to thank him, but her shoulders shook and her words were lost as she cried. Vidic steadied her with an arm around her shoulder and walked her out of the alley.

* * *

><p>A cup of warm tea was set before the disheveled assassin. Lucy found that she was wrapped in one of her own blankets, seated on the couch in her apartment. Vidic sat in an armchair in the same room. He looked as tired as she felt. Lucy had never seen him outside of work, and it was odd to see him without a labcoat on. It was comforting that she could notice this even after tonight's events, and she somehow felt a small bit better.<p>

Doctor Vidic remained focused on his own drink for a moment before looking to Lucy.

"Thank you." Lucy wished she could express her gratitude more fully, but she was afraid that if she said much else she would begin to cry. She could only murmur her appreciation and hope that Warren would understand.

The Templar nodded, and like Lucy he seemed to struggle with figuring out what to say.

"I hope you'll still return to work," The Doctor had set his tea down and was nervously wringing his hands. "You have every reason to leave, but understand that I can tell you why this happened. I won't if you go, though. I hope that's incentive enough." There was a pause where neither party spoke. Vidic offered a parting smile and left quietly.

* * *

><p>Please forgive me for writing the crappiest attempt at making something suspenseful ever. ;~~; This is the first time I'm really try a story with different elements than I'm used to writing, so you may see my suspense skills get better the further along in the story or I'll realize that dramatic scenes aren't for me and I should just stick with comedic stories. x3 So yeah... cheers for trying something new. :3<p>

**Please review if you enjoy the story!  
><strong>

Also - if you're willing to teach me a few things about suspense or dramatic writing I would really love it if you would send me a PM with a few pointers. It's something I'm really interested in getting better at but I feel like I need some sort of guidance. :3


	5. Truth

There was perhaps nothing more frightening for an Abstergo employee than having Aubrey Jacobs cheerfully stop outside your cubicle. Aubrey was a harbinger of punishment, sent to inform you that Alan Rikkin needed you in his office, right now. Ever since the incident with Subject 15 she took special pleasure in visiting the fourth floor.

Richard saw Miss Jacobs as he exited the elevator. She was confidently striding his way, a poisonous smile playing on her lips.

Richard spun around and stepped back into the elevator. There was no way in Hell he was dealing with her today. He grinned as the doors slid closed and the woman disappeared from view. But the heavy metal doors stopped suddenly and shook themselves back open. Miss Jacobs' smile widened when she saw Richard's panicked expression.

"Richard," She chirped.

Richard grimaced. He didn't even try to hide how nervous he was. It wouldn't matter how he acted around Aubrey - her visit only meant one thing. He held his tongue as she selected the ninth floor.

"You messed up." She was enjoying herself. Richard glared, which only made her smile widen.

"You couldn't do it, could you? The bitch had it coming, and you still let the old man scare you off."

Richard knew that if he snapped at Aubrey it would only get him deeper in trouble. She was like Rikkin's pet, and would run crying to him at the first sign of confrontation. So he clenched his hands into fists and waited.

* * *

><p>"You are a disappointment to this company."<p>

The three men had been assembled in Rikkin's office, each paralyzed to the spot. Rikkin played fear well. He was a tall man, even when measured against Richard. His features were deep set and striking, something about the way he looked at you commanded respect. He had power and he knew it, it was evident in the way he carried himself.

Alan was pacing before the failed team, hands clasped behind his back. He stopped to look at them and instantly their eyes met his, anxiously waiting for him to move. He didn't stare, but seemed to be observing the way they cowered under his gaze with satisfaction. When he turned to look at the window the three men exchanged wary glances.

"I should have you all fired. Carted back to training. _Killed_." The Templar took a breath. He looked at the terrified team through the corner of his eye. They were fidgeting, desperate for a punishment, anything to get them out of this cursed room. He paused, and it was unbearable.

"Well, which is it?" One of them blurted out. Alan leered and turned away from the window, dangerously annoyed. "For you, Perseus, I'm sure we can spare a bullet."

"No, please -" The hopelessly surprised man stuttered.

"Aubrey, if you would be so kind."

The woman nodded, stepping away from the wall. She smiled playfully and took the man's arm in her hand. He jerked violently at her touch. "Keep your witch away from me!" Aubrey's grip tightened, her polished fingernails digging into his skin.

"Anyone who wants to keep their job will help her."

Perseus was pulled out of the room by his accomplices begging for mercy.

* * *

><p>Vidic found Lucy that morning in the lab. She had her back turned to him looking out a window. The view was fantastic for only the fourth floor, it faced east and bathed the normally grey room in deep oranges and reds every morning.<p>

Lucy's pale, sleep deprived face looked brighter as the sunrise washed over her, temporarily healing her stress and pain. Rope burns were visible on her wrists as she tugged on her sweater. She was wearing a turtleneck; lucky for her it was late March and that attire was perfectly acceptable. No questions would be asked about the marks on her neck and joints, but Templars who had been informed of her assassination wouldn't be able to hide their surprise when seeing her in the building.

"You came," he smiled. "I knew you would, you need to know who did this to you. It would have eaten at you forever if you hadn't come. Am I right?"

Lucy had been thinking all last night. About the Templars, about her assignment, about herself. Vidic knew her. He knew how she worked, how she thought. She had become attached to her job at Abstergo, something that should not have happened. She made excuses for herself; she had worked here for almost two years, the staff was pleasant, it was impossible not to get emotionally involved. She came back because she wanted to, not because she had information to collect for the assassins.

"Yes," she admitted, "but just wait before you say anything. I know that this is entirely my fault, don't make up excuses. I don't want to hear them." Lucy took a breath before continuing. "I'd gotten e-mails to remind me of company conduct, and I was told never to bring the topic up again, but I refuse to believe that they would send people to kill me just for asking a question." Her eyes darkened but she continued to speak calmly. "Anyone can look at my record and see that it's flawless. I am the perfect employee."

Vidic nodded in agreement, but looked almost amused.

"You have a lot to learn about this company."

"How so?" The assassin demanded, the anger that had shown in her eyes starting to reach her voice.

"You've threatened someone, Lucy. You might not know it, but someone's looking down on you feeling very offended. You're digging up a buried grave, a closed case."

"I just want to know how -"

"Your friend committed suicide, Lucy."

Shock coursed down Lucy's spine. She finally knew. It took two years of provoking a higher power and almost being killed to get someone to say it. But suicide? Leila? Lucy knew her friend, that option had never come up. Never. But that had to be it. It was the only answer still available. It seemed almost obvious now that it had been said.

"What? No. No, Leila would never... Why?" Lucy pleaded. It was unbelievable. Her friend, a woman she thought she'd known, had killed herself? How? Why? No, it wasn't possible. She would have known. Leila wasn't depressed, was she? Had Lucy really been too blind to see that her friend was suffering?

"There was a boy, Neumann, she had been involved with him."

"I've never heard of him!" Lucy cried. "I would have known. I would have known if there was something wrong with her!"

"Lucy," Warren was saying things so calmly. How could he? Hadn't he lost her too? "People hide things. I didn't suspect a thing either until she was gone."

"How did she-" Lucy stopped. "No, never mind."

"Now you know."

"Yeah..." the assassin murmured.

"This is what happens when you dip your pen in company ink, Lucy. Do you have any more questions?"

"No." Lucy wasn't sure she wanted to know anything any more.

* * *

><p>"You're telling me…"<p>

Lucy's hand hovered over the keypad that would open the doors to the lab. Vidic and Rikkin's muffled angry snarls could be faintly heard from where she was standing. Not wanting to walk into an argument she cleared her code and waited patiently for them to finish shouting.

It was late, and as she stood there she could hear the pattering of rain against the windows. It looked like it might turn to snow by morning. The glass walls of Abstergo lost their usual foreboding appearance when they were delicately dusted with new snow. But the weather looked like it would be producing a blizzard instead of a winter wonderland. It matched the mood of the office somehow.

"So you've just _fucking kept it here_?"

Another burst of outrage slipped through the door.

"You didn't think to even mention we HAD the goddamned thing?"

"I didn't know what it was until -"

"Shut the FUCK UP, Alan. I'm just as in charge of this project as you. If you go to fucking Egypt and find the fucking thing, I expect to KNOW."

"I'm telling you, I didn't know it was anything other than an antique until recently."

Alan was being unusually calm. Usually he was the first to raise his voice, but this time it was Warren who was enraged. There was a deafening roar, and for a moment Lucy thought Vidic had ripped out of his skin and turned into a dragon. But it was only thunder, enough to shake the entire building. The interruption seemed to have settled the argument, because Alan walked out of the doors Lucy was standing by. He may not have been yelling, but his scarlet face and white knuckles showed that he had been about to let all Hell loose on Vidic.

The senior employee ignored Lucy as he walked to the elevator. She followed him with her eyes, there was something about him that made it impossible for her to move until the elevator doors closed and he was out of sight.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello! It's been a while. :3 School started a couple of weeks ago, so I haven't had any time or energy to write! ): This will probably be the case from now on, so updates might be spaced kind of randomly. But I promise exciting things will be happening! I haven't been writing it out fully, but I have a handy dandy journal full of lots of ideas and things to come. :D I promise to make it worth the wait. :3<strong>

**And gosh, poor Lucy! I haven't had anyone close to me ever kill themselves, but I bet after years of telling yourself that it had been some sort of accident and then finally being told that it was suicide must be really hard on someone. :( Especially if you were close and they never told you they were depressed!**

**A HUGE thanks to ScribeofRED, she was so nice and really helped to explain suspense and drama to me, as well as giving me a really great new blog to read! She rocks! And you're a Beta Reader now? Congrats! :D That's awesome! **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please forgive me for the long wait. I will try my hardest to get the next one out soon. ~  
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